1. What is your background in editing?

I have been writing and reviewing for much longer than I have been editing. I had a focus in English at Siena College, and did a ton of editing for classmates, coworkers, friends, and relatives throughout the years. I wrote book reviews for Grimoire of Horror and The Forgotten Fiction for some time. I have been proofreading for Cemetery Dance since 2021, and I started my own editing business, “Lebel Up Editing,” a year ago.

2. How long have you been editing for this publishing company? 

While I have been proofreading for Cemetery Dance since 2021, I started in my capacity of co-editor of the trade paperback like in January of this year (2024).

3. What do you edit for this publishing company?

The role of editor encompasses many aspects, not just editing! I manage our social media pages, work with distributing ARCs to reviewers, work with authors and interviewers, etc. As I have only been on board with Cemetery Dance for a short amount of time, my job is mostly promoting the novels currently slotted for the trade paperback line. When it comes time to start looking through submissions is when the more “traditional” editorial role will come into play.

4. Is there anything specific you hope to see when deciding whether or not to accept a manuscript?

There are two main things I look for in any book. The first is a compelling story. I want your book to grab me in the first chapter. Slow burns are great, but you need that first chapter to sell your book. Your reader needs to want to keep reading, and you can’t have it take 50 pages to get interesting.

The second is the quality of the writing. Looking at a submitted manuscript as a publisher, your novel should have already gone through several rounds of editing. While we may suggest some changes, we want to be receiving a finished product that does not require intensive editing before it can be published.

5. What are some common mistakes you see in manuscripts?

Sentence structure, for one. The dreaded run on sentence, comma placements, and the dreaded semi colon.

Another common mistake is introducing too many characters early on. It becomes a bit of a word salad for the reader. If I find myself needed to scroll back to the beginning of the manuscript to figure out who’s who – that’s a problem. You also don’t want to cram in so much detail that the reader can’t follow. This is why beta readers are so important! As an editor some common side notes I’ll make are: “I’m not sure what you’re trying to say here,” “I don’t remember who this person is supposed to be,” or “I’m not sure who’s point of view I’m in.” If I’m lost, your reader is lost – and you always want to make sure that what you’re trying to say is coming through on the pages!

6. Are there any editing goofs you tend to overlook in manuscripts?

Sometimes “editing goofs” end up being stylistic choices of the author. If something is grammatically incorrect, but shows up over and over and over again – it is usually the author’s choice in their style of writing and I end up removing my edits on the second run through.

7. How do you work with an author as their editor?

Most of my experience with authors in an editorial capacity has been through my own business, Lebel Up Editing. As the trade paperback line at Cemetery Dance grows, I’m very much looking forward to working with the authors more closely once we begin to take on new projects!

8. Have you ever had a negative experience with an author? If so, how was it resolved?

All my authors have been wonderful! Most of my communication is through Facebook Messenger, and that has gotten a bit confusing when it comes to separating personal messages from work-related ones. Any trouble I’ve had is in building a system of communication that works best for me.

9. What happens if an author does not agree with your suggestions?

It depends on the suggestion! I have not had this situation come up when it was a question of whether or not a manuscript is being accepted, but other than that the author has the final say in what is going into their novel.

10. How long does it typically take you to work through edits on a manuscript when going on the first round of edits?

I don’t have the answer for that in the capacity of editor for a publishing company, since we do expect that manuscripts have seen an editor before they are sent to us for consideration to publish.

As a private editor the first round of edits can take 30-40 hours of work, depending how rough the first draft is and how long the book is.

11. Do you feel that it's important to have a background as a professional editor before becoming an editor at a publishing company?

Absolutely, you need to have an understanding of the craft before jumping into a publishing company. I recommend gaining experience through offering your editing services as a solo business, reviewing books, proofreading, and beta reading!

12. Are there any books or editing courses you recommend to anyone who wishes to pursue editing professionally?

On Writing by Stephen King is an absolute MUST READ. I am sure there are others that aren’t coming to the top of my head but the internet is just an endless wealth of information! If it’s your dream, keep pursuing!

ABOUT LISA:

Lisa Lebel is a lifetime horror fanatic and Constant Reader hailing from upstate New York. With a background in reviewing, editing, and proofreading, she co-edits the trade paperback line at Cemetery Dance. Though she lives in Georgia, she travels to New York frequently with her sidekick service dog, Pumpkin. Her love of the horror genre is matched only by her love of her dogs.